1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system for detecting wear within a pipe or conduit section, and more specifically to monitoring the wear within a pipe or conduit section with a sensor element located within a ceramic coating, and a method of manufacturing thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pipe and conduit sections, particularly elbow sections, are prone to wear and tear as product is driven through them. The more abrasive a product, the more quickly the pipe or conduit will wear out. Some industries simply replace the sections as the pipes wear out and holes form within them, but this can lead to serious downtime in many industries, such as manufacturing. Further, the product being driven through pipes or conduits may be hazardous, thereby necessitating early detection prior to a leak forming
Coating pipe and conduit elements, such as elbows, T-sections, and straight sections, with ceramic coating or other protective coatings may prevent corrosion and external wear on the pipe, but does little to prevent corrosion or erosion from within the pipe and will eventually wear down over time despite being more wear-resistant than standard, non-coated pipe sections.
What is needed is a simple method of applying or installing a pipe wear detection system on prefabricated pipe and conduit sections cheaply and efficiently.
Heretofore there has not been available a system for monitoring and detecting wear within a pipe or conduit section with the features and elements of the present invention.